Tag Archives: salmon

Oven Roasted Salmon with Parmesan-Mayo Crust

Posted on May 19, 2012 by | 33 Comments

Recently at the Saturday morning farmers’ market in Decatur, we picked up some fresh eggs from a local farm.  You might ask, “now what does that have to do with salmon?”  Thanks for asking, because I’m having a heck of a time getting this post started!  Well, I’m not a big egg-eater so I needed to come up with some other uses for the eggs.  Also, I have a bottle of great-tasting olive oil from Kasandrino’s …eggs plus olive oil equals mayonnaise!  (I’m getting to the salmon…)  Next thing you know, I have a big jar of homemade, lemony mayonnaise with no real plans for using it.  (As you can see, I was not thinking too far ahead last week.)  Thankfully I ran across a sale on salmon and put the mayo to great use!

Coating the salmon with a mixture of mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese and oven-roasting it resulted in an unbelievably moist, buttery fish with all kinds of good flavors.  I will be making this again…and soon!

This basic mayonnaise recipe does not make a very thick mayonnaise, since I use the whole egg instead of just the yolks.  You can also adjust the taste of the mayonnaise to your preference, by trying different oils and different acids (vinegars, lemon or lime juice, etc.), or adding herbs.  Go crazy with it!

Ingredients for Salmon

  • 16-20 ounces salmon fillet(s), skin on
  • Kosher salt/ freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, preferably homemade
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • additional Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • a few dashes of sweet paprika

Ingredients for Basic Olive Oil Mayonnaise

  • 2 whole eggs, at room temperature(*See Note below)
  • 1 to 1 1/4 cup oil (I used 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup almond oil)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, or pepper blend, to taste (I like Florida Seasoned Pepper…citrusy!)

*Note:  For thicker mayonnaise, use 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk

Mayonnaise Instructions:

Place the eggs in a blender or small food processor.  Blend the eggs alone for around a minute, so they will be ready to adsorb the oil.  Add lemon juice, dry mustard and salt, and mix in with the eggs.  With the blender running, SLOWLY start adding the oil, a few drops at a time, until the liquid begins to thicken up some; then you can start adding the oil in a thin, steady stream.  Continue blending until all the oil is incorporated.  Season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper, to taste.

**Raw Egg Warning… to reduce the risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness, use only fresh, clean eggs with intact shells, from a trusted source.  Avoid contact of egg white/egg yolk with outer shell.

Salmon Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425F.  Line a shallow roasting pan with foil.  Rinse the salmon with cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels, and place in roasting pan.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Mix the mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Spread completely over the salmon.  Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese on top, and add a few dashes of sweet paprika.

Roast for 12-14 minutes (depending on thickness of salmon).  Remove from oven; carefully slide a wide spatula between the skin and meat to separate from the skin, and serve!

When you experience as much music as I do, you cultivate a healthy list of artists you need to listen to, but haven’t yet. One of mine was Roberta Flack. Sure, I had heard her for years on the radio, but never actually listened to an album. Boy, that was a mistake! We put on First Take one evening, and we both were completely blown away by it’s brilliance. This was her debut from 1969, and her phrasing, song selection and piano work certainly don’t sound like a beginner! Contains the classic “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, her version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye” and more. With Ron Carter on bass and Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, this is an understated jewel of a record.

Her newest release, Let It Be Roberta – Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles looks like a winner. That sublime voice coupled with those songs? How can you go wrong?

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Salmon with Roasted Peppers and Asparagus

Posted on July 15, 2011 by | 12 Comments

salmon2 Cnm

We don’t go out to eat a lot, especially since we stopped eating grains.  People give you strange looks when you request “no bread, please”, or order Chinese food without the rice.  “Without the rice?”  Incredulously, “Are you sure, no rice?”  It seems beyond comprehension.  However, last weekend we were out doing errands and decided to stop in at Shorty’s Pizza, which might seem to be misguided for people that don’t eat bread.  Shorty’s offers a lot more than wood-fired pizzas (which are delicious).  They have small plates with interesting combinations, such as spaghetti squash salad with aged ricotta and walnuts.  They have large plates of garlicky mussels or blackened sirloin with romaine and bleu cheese.  Check out their menu at the link if you’re in the Decatur or Tucker, Georgia area!

Also on Shorty’s menu is cedar-planked salmon which is normally served with potatoes roasted in their wood oven.  Potatoes – another thing I’m trying to avoid!  I substituted roasted peppers, off their pizza toppings menu, and was just thrilled with the combination.  The sweetness and creamy softness of the peppers complemented the salmon’s delicate flavor….so, I had to try it at home!

Roasting peppers is not difficult, but it is a bit smelly, for lack of a better descriptor.  Use of a good ventilation hood is recommended, or even better, roast them outside on the grill.  You can roast and slice the peppers ahead of time, and keep them in olive oil in the refrigerator until ready to use (for at least a week).

Ingredients:

Wash the peppers and dry thoroughly.  Turn on the hood if you’re roasting on the stove top!  (If you don’t have a gas range, you can also put them under the broiler in the oven, or use a grill outdoors.)

Using tongs, place the pepper over the flames (or under the broiler).  Turn frequently, until the entire pepper is charred.  Place the blackened peppers in a small paper bag (watch out that there are no embers on the peppers!) and roll the top of the bag closed.  This will allow the inside of the peppers to continue to cook.  Put the bag aside (I recommend outside) and allow the peppers to cool.  [If you don't have a bag, you could wrap them in paper towels and place in a glass bowl to cool.]

When cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin from the peppers with your fingers.  It may help to use some running water to get the skin off, but be careful not to get the peppers too wet or you’ll dilute their flavor.  It’s okay if there’s some charred skin left here and there on the pepper.

Slice the peppers open, remove the stem, and scrap out the seeds and white ribs.  Dry the peppers with paper towels, then slice into thin strips.  Place in a bowl with a little olive oil.  Set aside, or refrigerate if you’re saving the peppers for another day.

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Prepare the asparagus for roasting by snapping off the tough ends; use a peeler if necessary to take off other tough parts.  Put the asparagus in a shallow roasting pan, toss with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Line another roasting pan with foil; lightly oil or spray the foil with non-stick spray.  Place the salmon on the foil and spray with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, or your favorite salmon rub.  Put the salmon and the asparagus in the oven and roast until each is done to your liking (around 11-14 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon and the size of the asparagus).  Shake the pan of asparagus about halfway through cooking.

In the meantime, heat the roasted pepper strips in a small pan and keep warm.  Plate the salmon with the asparagus and roasted peppers, then enjoy!

It’s Friday, right? Let’s get funky up in here then!

First off, one of the greatest pairings ever…BB King and Bobby “Blue” Bland with Together for the First Time Live, one of the best bits of live blues you’ll ever hear. “It’s My Own Fault”, “Three O’Clock Blues” and more, just a stone classic.

What? Still not funky enough? Well, then you need Best of Wilson Pickett. He wasn’t called “Wicked” Wilson Pickett for nothing…”Mustang Sally”, “In The Midnight Hour”, “634-5789″ and more should get ya moving…if not, have your heart checked. Essential soul!

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Salmon with Chipotle-Lime Glaze

Posted on May 4, 2011 by | Leave a comment

As we enjoyed this meal, it occurred to us that it might be the healthiest combination of food ever!  Not that it really mattered, because it was quite tasty and we would have eaten every bite even it it was chock full of benzene and trans fats.  Well, not really…we do try to avoid foods that will give you cancer and a heart attack.

We found some farm-raised Norwegian King Salmon at the local Whole Foods, which, although not wild-caught, is “raised in carefully monitored, low-density pens without antibiotics, pesticides or added growth hormones” according to Whole Foods Standards. It is a mild-flavored salmon with a good fat content…yum!  Since we are in Santa Fe, I wanted to give it a bit of Southwestern flair, so I put together a simple chipotle-lime glaze and added some rosemary from the yard (which is the only herb other than sage that has survived the rabbits.)  The glaze has a kick to it, but doesn’t overwhelm the delicate flavor of the salmon. This we roasted and served with Sweet Potatoes and Kale (recipe here).
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Salmon with Pesto Crust

Posted on March 11, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Pesto-encrusted Salmon, with asparagus and mushrooms

According to Marcella Hazan, noted author of many books on classic Italian cuisine, pesto is the sauce invented by the Genoese as a vehicle for the fragrance of basil, and it has just ONE role – “to be the most seductive of all sauces for pasta”.  Does that mean that primal eaters have to forsake pesto forever, having no pasta to accompany it?  Of course not!  There are many foods that pesto is great on; scrambled eggs, chicken, salmon and some vegetables come to mind.  Although these aren’t the classic applications for pesto, they are an easy way to incorporate the wonderful flavor of basil into your meals all year long.

I made this pesto from basil grown in our yard, and kept it frozen in a log in the freezer.  If you plan on freezing your pesto, you should use less olive oil than usual so that it can be rolled into the log shape.  When I need some pesto, I just slice off what I need, thaw it, and reconstitute with a little olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

The recipe I use for pesto is based on Marcella Hazan’s classic recipe, in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. However, I am a big fan of using different types of nuts in pesto, especially walnuts or cashews.  Lightly toasting the nuts before processing will also add flavor to your pesto – although some people prefer the taste of raw nuts.  Try it both ways to see the difference!

If you don’t want to make your own pesto, there usually is a good variety at the grocery store.  Sometimes you can find fresh pesto in the refrigerated section…look for local or grocery brands and not the stuff from big manufacturers.  Fresh would be preferable to jarred pesto, which is often too salty, rancid, or filled with preservatives (although there are good ones out there).  This one is good, and available on-line.  Whatever you do, do not make “pesto” from anything that comes in a packet! That does not even qualify as food!

Here is the original recipe:

Pesto (Marcella Hazan, from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking)

  • 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped fine before putting in the processor
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated romano cheese
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
  1. Briefly soak and wash the basil in cold water, and gently pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels (Note: this part is tedious, but it is important to get all the water off the leaves).
  2. Put the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, chopped garlic, and an ample pinch of salt in the processor bowl, and process to a uniform, creamy consistency.
  3. Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the two grated cheeses by hand.  When the cheese has been evenly amalgamated with the other ingredients, mix in the softened butter, distributing it uniformly into the sauce.

Fresh pesto will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week.  Cover the surface with a layer of olive oil, and keep in an air-tight container.  Contact with air will cause the pesto to lose its bright color.

If freezing, do not add cheese and butter to the pesto.  Add cheese and butter when it is thawed, just before using.  Wrap well with plastic wrap and place inside a freezer bag.

Recipe for Salmon with Pesto Crust

  • Salmon fillets (approximately 8 ounces each)
  • Pesto sauce

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line shallow roasting pan with foil; lightly oil surface of foil.  Place salmon filets in roasting pan.

Taste pesto and adjust seasoning if necessary.  (Now stop tasting the pesto or you won’t have enough for the salmon!)

Spread a layer of pesto over the top of the salmon fillet.  Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes until just cooked through (or less time if you like your salmon medium-rare).

Enjoy!

Delicious! As is the new release from house favorite John Renbourn, Palermo Snow. This guy just keeps getting better. Fans of Pentangle, Oregon and David Grisman will love this, it’s tasty.

Just like the pesto!

jr

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